A heartbreaking story out of Florida has ended with a mother sentenced to 12 years in prison after her 3-year-old son tragically drowned in a nearby retention pond.
On Monday, Dec. 16, Myra Santiago, a 24-year-old from Ormond Beach, stood before a judge after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child, a serious charge carrying a possible sentence of up to 30 years. The judge ultimately decided on 12 years in prison, followed by eight years of probation. During her probation, Santiago is prohibited from being alone with any minors.
The tragic incident unfolded on April 23, 2023, when little Azriyh Santiago wandered out of their apartment and toward a retention pond. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s camera captured the boy walking outside, holding what looked like a tablet, before running toward the water. Hours later, a neighbor called 911 after spotting the child floating in the pond. Emergency responders tried to save him, but it was too late.
Investigators discovered that Santiago had left Azriyh alone in their apartment the night before while she went to the Daytona Beach boardwalk. She returned home in the early hours of the morning but didn’t realize her son was missing until she woke up later that afternoon to find police tape outside her apartment.
Adding to the tragedy, police revealed that Azriyh had managed to escape the apartment on previous occasions. Santiago admitted she knew she needed childproof locks for the doors but claimed she couldn’t afford them.
In a desperate attempt to cover up her absence, Santiago sent a Facebook message to a neighbor asking them to lie and say they had watched her son overnight. She also expressed panic, messaging, “I’ll tell you later about everything, I’m freaking out.”
During the sentencing, Santiago’s attorney read a statement from her, expressing deep remorse for what happened. However, the judge, while acknowledging her regret, didn’t hold back. “This is inexcusable,” the judge said, pointing out that Santiago knew about the previous incidents and had failed to take action to prevent another one.
Family members, like Santiago’s aunt, described her as a loving mother who cared for her son, but the court focused on the preventable nature of the tragedy. Now, Santiago faces years in prison and a lifetime of regret over a simple safety measure that could have saved her child’s life.
